This grant provided support to expand the scientific program and infrastructure at the University of Washington's Center for Industrial and Medical Ultrasound (CIMU). The many disparate facilities and technical capabilities available to CIMU staff and students were integrated and enhanced to provide a world-class, advanced research center for bioengineering development and graduate education in high-intensity, focused ultrasound (HIFU). This included leveraging of overall research in understanding of acoustic hemostasis and improvement of research tools. Significant progress was made in developing a highly automated transducer characterization capability. Features include acoustic field mapping by scanned hydrophones, acoustic power efficiency measurement, electric and acoustic impedance measurement, medical ultrasound imaging and RF data collection, optical methods of acoustic field mapping (Schlieren apparatus), and for each system a convenient software interface and user manual. Specialized fixtures and instruments were developed to measure HIFU dose response in vitro, an essential component of developing reliable and realistic computer models for HIFU simulation and treatment planning. Single-element HIFU transducers were refined with liquid, gel, and solid coupling media and other improvements to be more powerful, convenient, and robust. These technological enhancements have enabled the development of HIFU arrays and image-guided ultrasound systems for greater flexibility and control in clinical treatment protocol. Lastly, significant bioacoustic model development was undertaken for use in practical engineering design as well as for fundamental research of the mechanisms of ultrasound therapy.

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